[6] The Isabelinos, on the other hand, managed to prevent the majority of the kingdom for joining the insurrectionists, had access to many more men and resources than the Carlists, and controlled the central government.

However, they had implemented various liberal, secular reforms that were highly unpopular amidst an economic crisis and so the Carlists had popular support in the majority of regions where the war was fought.

[7] In light of these factors, the Carlists decided on a strategy of guerrilla warfare: raiding supply convoys, engaging in ambushes or using their superior knowledge of terrain to defeat Liberals when possible.

[citation needed] The battle took place after a time of relative peace in the Navarran area of operations, where both sides were gathering supplies and strengthening their forces.

[11] On April 1, Zumalacárregui had published an address to his Navarrese and Alavese troops offering rewards for distinguished soldiers, which Carlos endorsed in a personal letter to the general a week later.

[11] Zumalacárregui and Quesada had fought against each other multiple times before in the war as the Carlist general pursued a guerrilla strategy of smaller-scale engagements and convoy attacks resulting in between a few dozen and up to 200 dead per side, without them being considered full battles.

[12] In the morning of April 22, Zumalacárregui ordered fifty cavalrymen and their guides on reconnaissance duty and to act as bait for Quesada while his troops waited in ambush in the woods near the towns of Ciordia and Olazagutia.

[13] However, Quesada was well aware of the possibility of an ambush and, after consulting maps of the local topography and deliberating with his infantry lieutenant and carabinier sargeant, continued forward with an altered formation.

The Carlist forces attacked repeatedly and while they managed to take control of the elevation, they were unable to maintain the position, which allowed Quesada to retreat towards Villafranca, albeit losing the baggage in the process.

[14] After the encounter, Zumalacárregui spent the night at Echarri[15] and ordered most of the prisoners to be shot "in just reprisal to the inhumane conduct which the usurper government was observing"—the execution of Carlists by Liberals as political criminals.